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4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Collection of Diablo Books, May 24 2010
This review is from: Diablo Archive (Paperback)
The books in the order listed in the product description are in order of the time line for the world of Sanctuary. I suggest reading in the order listed and not the order published (which is Demonsbane first).
Legacy of Blood is Knaak's debut into the world of Diablo. This book is often mistaken for the first true Diablo novel because it is the first that describes events that Blizzard has kept in the Diablo time line. It is well written with deeper characters than I first expected. However, what is lacking with the characters is made up with the richness of which Knaak describes Bartuc's armor, the action, and the world of Sanctuary. Knaak truly proves his ability at writing in the Blizzard universes with Legacy of Blood.
The Black Road is Mel Odom's first (and last) novel in the Diablo series. Like Demonsbane, it was written when Blizzard was first trying to find writers for its series. The Black Road centers on the demon Kabraxis. Kabraxis is never mentioned in the actual Diablo time line (events that happen in game or otherwise) and this book is merely entertainment set in the Diablo world. It is fairly well written with consistent characters. I found it a very easy read, like all the books in the archive.
The Kingdom of Shadows is Knaak's second novel in the world of Diablo. Knaak's experience from writing Legacy of Blood comes through in this novel. The characters are deeper and the world comes alive. Mystery surrounds the city of Ureh and its inhabitants. So much mystery, in fact, that The Kingdom of Shadows will keep you guessing until the very end.
Demonsbane was the first Diablo book written (but it's the last in the collection). It is the shortest of the four works in the collection but also sets the tone and setting of the world of Sanctuary for the books that follow it. Demonsbane is action packed with loads of mystery surrounding the main character. The book lacks in depth characters but does a good job at establishing the setting and the main character's personality through their actions in the short ~100 pages. Blizzard has not included events in this book as part of the Diablo time line.
Overall, the archive is a nice collection of the first Diablo books published. All the books are easy reads with lots of action and mystery. It is a wonderful introduction into the world of Diablo and if you enjoy the archive I highly recommend the Sin War trilogy.
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